The Daily Walk | 09.09.2026 | Nancy Williams | John 15:1-5, 9-11

Hi everyone, it's Nancy with your Wednesday edition of our daily walk.

This past Sunday we looked at one of our core values as a church to abide in Christ.

Pastor Aaron took us to John chapter 15, and we read how Jesus talked to his disciples about abiding in him.

John 15 · chapter mention

He used a vineyard reference with a vine, its branches, and the vine dresser who put the vine in place and who lovingly tends to the needs of the branches, feeding them, pruning them, encouraging them to grow from that vine and produce the fruit he desires.

One of my favorite books is written by Robert Scott Steiner, a writer, teacher, and former missionary in Italy.

He wanted to understand more deeply what Jesus meant in his teaching.

So he spent time at a vineyard observing the vine dresser who cared for the branches growing on the vine.

And he realized that Jesus' message gives a clear image in the Bible about the relationship between God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son, and the believers in Christ.

That's us.

Listen as I read a passage from his book about abiding.

He wrote, One of the meanings of the word abide is to hold on.

That's all we're required to do.

Just hold on, just stay abiding in Christ as he abides in us.

As a vine dresser prunes us, we can't help but produce fruit.

Producing fruit is a byproduct of holding on to Jesus.

The work has already been done.

So holding on or staying connected is what we are to do.

We can't produce fruit for the kingdom of God without Christ.

Many have tried and all have failed.

Skinner goes on to say, if we have a healthy and accurate understanding of abiding in Christ first, the good works that we were created for will surface as a result of that connection and of the vine dressers' love and care for us.

If we as believers can grasp this truth, it will make producing fruit much easier.

To understand our place in the kingdom of God, to understand that we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ and that we're loved without having to do or become anything brings a sense of joy that you must experience to believe or understand.

This truth compels us to desire to pass this gift on to others so they may have what we have.

So just hold on, just remain, just abide, and you will bear fruit.

End quote.

And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean because of the word that I've spoken to you.

Abide in me and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

And then moving down to verse nine through eleven, Jesus says, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

Abide in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love.

These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Amen.